Myopia Prevention and Control

Topics of Interest: Clinical Trials

The following is a sample of some clinical trials related to myopia that are listed in the database at http://clinicaltrials.gov. Not all trials will publish their results. A larger database from the World Health Organization (WHO) can be found at http://apps.who.int/trialsearch/default.aspx. The WHO database is a compilation from 12 different registries around the world.

Myopic Control for High Myopes Using Orthokeratology (HM-PRO)Sponsor: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Principal Investigator: Pauline Cho.Myopes greater than 5.75D sphere will wear ortho-k lenses at night and spectacles for residual refractive error during the day to see if ortho-k is effective for myopia control in this population. Estimated completion date: April 2012

Study of Theories About Myopia Progression (STAMP)
Sponsor: Ohio State University. Principal Investigators: David A Berntsen, OD, MS, Karla Zadnik, OD, PhD, Donald O Mutti, OD, PhD. Students with a lag of accommodation >= 1.30 D (for a 4D stimulus) and a near esophoria if more than -2.25D myopic will wear progressive addition lenses (PALs) with a +2.00 add for one year and then single vision lenses for one year. The control group will wear single vision lenses for two years. Estimated completion: June 2010

Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial (COMET)
Sponsor: National Eye Institute. Study chair: Jane Gwiazda, PhD, New England College of Optometry. Students will wear Progressive Addition Lenses (PALs). The control group received single vision lenses. Begun in 1996, COMET was the first-ever clinical trial in optometry, according to Dr. Gwiazda's web site. Ongoing analysis of subgroups.

Correction of Myopia Evaluation Trial 2 (COMET2)Sponsor: Jaeb Center for Health Research. Study Chair: Jane Gwiazda, Ph.D. Students with near esophoria wear progressive addition lenses (PALs) with a +2.00 add while the control group wears single vision lenses. Duration = 3 yrs. A second nested study is to determine if Monocular Estimate Method (MEM) or Nott retinoscopy can be used to identify accommodative lag in a clinician's typical office.

Evaluating NeuroVision's Neural Vision Correction (NVC) Myopia TreatmentSponsor: Ohio State University. Principal Investigator: Donald O Mutti, O.D. A trial of the NVC system of visual stimulations on a computer screen designed to act on specific neuronal interactions in visual cortex to enhance neural processing and thus compensate for myopic inputs. NeuroVision has a public website where it claims one may be able to see 20/20 without losing their myopia. (FAQ page) Completed December 2008.

Myopia Progression and the Effect of 7-MethylxanthineSponsor: Trier Research Laboratories. Study Chair: Klaus Trier, MD. Trier Research Laboratories. Tablets of 7-methylxanthine 400 mg per day are studied for control of myopic progression as well as systemic findings such as weight, height, blood pressure and heart rate. 90 students ages 8-13.

Pilot Study to Assess the Efficacy of Short Exposure to Defocus to Slow the Progression of Myopia in ChildrenSponsor: Singapore National Eye Centre. Principal Investigator: Audrey Chia, FRANZCO, Singapore National Eye Center. Since the STOP signal for axial growth has been shown in some animals to be very strong with only brief periods of high myopic defocus able to overcome prolonged periods of hyperopic defocus, this study will attempt to see if brief periods of high plus lenses will slow myopic progression. This is different than undercorrection which results in only mild myopic defocus. Study completion: October 2008.

Retardation of Myopia in Orthokeratology (ROMIO)Sponsor: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Principal Investigator: Pauline Cho, PhD, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Although orthokeratology has been shown to have the potential for slowing myopic progression, this is a randomized clinical trial to determine if axial length growth is slowed compared to a control group wearing single vision spectacles. Estimated completion date: December 2011

Study of Myopia Acquisition and Prevention (SMART)Sponsor: University Hospital Freiburg. Study Chair: Alexaner Reis, PD Dr. med. Augenwerk, Liechtenstein. Another study with the acronym "SMART". This was a study of 115 children ages 7-9 wearing +2.00 reading glasses to see if it slows myopic progression. Completion date: October 2008

Eye Acceleration of Growth of Refractive Attributes (EYEAGRA)Sponsor: Aller, Thomas A., OD. Principal Investigator: Thomas A Aller, O.D. Unaffiliated. Bifocal contact lenses will be studied to see if they can correct hyperopia. "The bifocal contact lenses will be prescribed to provide for clear central vision at both distance and near with the near zone of the contact, thus exposing the retina to hyperopic defocus from the distance zone." MyopiaPrevention comment: This falls under hyperopia prevention, a less common condition but also debilitating.